William Chong

OK, this has got to be the most inane song ever. I’m talking about it from a musical point of view – from its earthy Dsus9 chord on the piano, it flips back and forth between that and B, giving it a very unorthodox feel to it. If you keep listening it’s definitely complex in its harmonies, and throws interesting modulation to C Minor at you (about 1:41 in the video, Vanessa Hudgens kinda just slides into it; this book explains how odd a semitone modulation is to achieve).

Rhythm and melody-wise it’s somewhat catchy, if you can get past the distraction of a particularly nasal singing quality by Hudgens, who nevertheless is trying her best. Whether it’s an attempt to try a different vocal style/music genre or not, her voice does doesn’t have that depth or soul-feel. I could picture someone like Alicia Keys, Joss Stone or Mary J Blige pulling this off better. But then again none of them would really be singing about shoes, would they?

Thanks to this High School Musical alumna, I’m picking this song to create a fashion-craze that involves young girls going clubbing in sneakers. Bonus points if your shoelaces glow in the dark.

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Lots of people having exam stress at the moment. I can’t say I envy any of you, though I myself seem to have caught something from one of my students. Should request they all wash their hands before class or something! So for some reason I ended up staying home on Monday and today. However, I actually did more work at home than in the office yesterday, thanks to the ability to access my work email.

It’s when your sinuses clog up that you appreciate their role in giving you a voice that doesn’t sound idiotic. Am enjoying reacquainting myself with this large music collection at home though. And I can’t say I don’t enjoy saving that driving-to-work petrol money for a better cause.

A couple of movie characters making appearances in cinemas, they all sound interesting: Prince Caspian, Zohan, Kung Fu Panda, etc. I wonder if I’ll have the time/health to go see any of them.

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Hehe, I now have william.hc.chong and fruitcocoon @ gmayle. Very cool.

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[you are in a cocoon. a fruit cocoon.] Has anyone noticed that the two syllables in the word “cocoon” are both pronounced with an “u” or “ooh” sound, but one is spelt with 1 o and the other is spelt with two o’s. strange.

I actually should be working, so I’ll leave it at that for today. Sorry guys!

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Don’t lose hope.

Sylvia Park is like a warzone today. Saturday shoppers strike.

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Still no internet, leeching. It’s been 2 weeks, but yea Richard will whip those ISPs into shape. Season’s greetings everyone, don’t forget reason for season.

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You’re standing in a patchwork of green hills. The mounds of grassy knolls and ledges surround you, dancing free and fondly in the light breeze.

*me-e-e-e-eh*

You’re looking around. The sky is clear azure, a few cotton-candy fluffs. You look at the sheet in front of you – stylised crosses and lines and contours telling you how steep the hill you’ve just climbed is.

*me-e-e-eeeh*

You’re trying to read your map as the sheep watch you with quizzical expressions. The sobering fact dawns on you that you have been racing through fields of poo in the past hour.

And you have been doing it willingly.

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How free I feel right now.

I’m quitting my old job, starting a new one. I may move out, I may not. I finished with my last lecture yesterday. And who knows where we go from here. I’m sitting here reflecting on the twists and turns in this time at higher education.

Am I better for it? Who knows. Motivations still the same? I’d say not. But there are so many new things I’m looking forward to. A career. Saving up. New problems, new challenges. I can’t sum up any of the feelings I have this moment on a blog post. I can however say that I am hopeful.

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The exhilaration you get from refreshing your screen incessantly to see the changes of votes, next move, who dies, who lives, did the mafia win, what’s that suspect “citizen” saying, where’s the cop’s information… think Trademe but on an intense, adrenalined scale!

Mafia.  If anyone has never played it before, it’s on wiki as well.  But oh, it’s been so addictive! I love the thrill of tension in the air, as people sift out who’s Mafia and who’s citizen.  And then there’s the cop, who tries to out the mafia.  And doctors who heal… so fun, so fun!

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New York New York got pinged last night at 1.30 in the morning. Was not a good night.

(will add more to this later)

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I drove a limo last night.  Very hard to negotiate cul-de-sacs with an extra long car.

Awesome!!!

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